Modern Building Services

FEATURE NET ZERO There are 29 million UK homes that need to have low-carbon heating methods retrofitted by 2050, which is one of the main priorities for the Climate Change Committee (CCC). As the Working towards Net Zero report reveals, this outlook is shared by the construction industry, as 62% of professionals report that retrofitting is the biggest challenge to decarbonisation. The construction industry is prepared to tackle this challenge, and direct electric heating solutions are a preferred method. Direct electric heating is seen as a better overall solution by almost half of the construction industry, second only to the use of hydrogen boilers. But, hydrogen boilers, while impactful, have a limited set of use cases, and aren’t suitable for the full range of homes in the UK housing stock. The same is true for heat pumps. As the report reveals, 52% of construction professionals believe that direct electric heating is the right solution for modest properties and apartments, due to the fact that they’re smaller, easy to install, and do not require external equipment that would be less compatible with multi-storey buildings. Prices are up, but so is demand The report reveals an increase in consumer interest in low-carbon heating alternatives. But current energy prices are high and are forecast to increase in the near future. The most recent price cap increases are set to take annual average household energy bills over £3,600. Electricity is often unfairly seen to be a more expensive form of energy than oil or gas, and this is having a detrimental effect on the uptake of direct electric heating solutions. 79% of respondents in the construction industry believe that high running costs have deterred customers from installing direct electric heating. What’s required is a change of image. Too many people have negative associations based on old, outmoded electric heating solutions like storage heaters. 71% of the construction industry believes these older electric heating methods have a negative impact on how consumers perceive modern, low- carbon direct electric alternatives. This need not be the case. Modern direct electric heating solutions are much more efficient than older solutions, and direct electric is 100% efficient at the point of usage, compared to gas heating where energy is lost throughout the system. They also require lower installation and maintenance costs and won’t be phased about by the UK government over the next 15 years (unlike gas). Growth and gaps The construction industry is keen to use low-carbon direct electric heating solutions, particularly in retrofitting older, less spacious, and multi-storey buildings. But the industry also sees the challenge of retrofitting as an opportunity for growth. 64% of those surveyed believe decarbonisation is an opportunity for the construction industry to grow. But, as with many areas in the UK economy, there is a skills gap between the currently available talent, and the required talent. 69% of construction workers believe that while there’s an opportunity for growth, there isn’t sufficient workforce expertise to embrace that opportunity. What is needed is a concerted effort to upskill the current workforce. If the industry can do this sooner rather than later, it won’t miss the chance for growth and it will more easily meet its decarbonisation goals. Crucially, direct electric poses a less of a challenge to upskilling as compared to other low-carbon heating methods, such as heat pumps. Direct electric involves less paperwork, and is significantly easier to install, particularly in buildings that have restricted space. The upskilling requirement, therefore, will be significantly less onerous for the industry, meaning direct electric heating offers a route to more readily embrace the opportunity for growth. Over the coming decades, the construction industry is on track to transform. Heating solution providers that offer viable, low- carbon alternatives can help to usher in that transformation. For more insights download the ‘Working towards Net Zero’ report: www.thermosphere.com/ working-towards-net-zero-press MODERN BUILDING SERVICES OCTOBER 2022 15 More information can be found at www.thermosphere.com